The many reasons your mileage may vary: Toward a unifying typology of eco-driving behaviors

- Definitions of eco-driving have been inconsistent, limited, and imprecise.
- This research develops a unified definition and typology of eco-driving behaviors.
- The six types: driving, cabin comfort, trip planning, fueling, load management, maintenance.
- This work is foundational for more systematic eco-driving research and policy.

The role of vehicle driver behavior has been ignored in prior energy and environmental policy making. Laboratory procedures that produce the fuel economy estimates posted on every new car sold in the US are designed to preclude the effects of differences between drivers. Yet, every vehicle states the caveat, “Actual results will vary for many reasons, including driving conditions and how you drive and maintain your vehicle.” Eco-driving as means of strategically taking advantage of this variability has been inconsistently defined in conceptual analyses and variously operationalized in empirical analyses. The present research clarifies, synthesizes, and expands on prior definitions of eco-driving to develop a comprehensive and precise definition and typology of eco-driving behaviors. The resultant typology includes six mutually exclusive classes of behavior: driving, cabin comfort, trip planning, load management, fueling, and maintenance. This typology establishes a basis for systematic research to determine energy and climate impacts and develop effective policies and interventions for different types of eco-driving.

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